


it's a whole new world

by nifeandaccurate (12AM)



Series: AELDWS 2014 [5]
Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Backstory, Gen, M/M, Military Backstory, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-05
Updated: 2014-09-05
Packaged: 2018-02-16 06:33:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2259564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/12AM/pseuds/nifeandaccurate
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Underneath the antagonism, they support each other. That's how it's always been.</p>
            </blockquote>





	it's a whole new world

**Author's Note:**

> Original post can be found here, entry #7: http://inceptiversary.livejournal.com/31014.html
> 
> Come chat with me! I'm at nifeandaccurate.tumblr.com
> 
> For Round 5, the genre prompt was "pre-movie" with a quote prompt of "That isn’t particularly reassuring,” plus a max word count of 350 words.

“Are you sure it’s supposed to make that hissing sound?” asks Eames, peering over Arthur’s shoulder.

Arthur pokes at the PASIV and shrugs. “Probably?”

Eames says, laughing, “That isn’t particularly reassuring.”

 “Stop hovering behind me—it works, okay?” he snaps.

Eames raises his eyebrows. “Someone’s on edge today.”

Running his hands through his disheveled hair, Arthur heaves out a sigh.

“It’s our first dreamshare job tomorrow, of course I am.”

Eames slings an arm over Arthur’s shoulders. “Relax, darling. Everything will work out. I don’t know why you’re so eager to work with the academic lot—God knows they’re out of their field—but they won’t have a clue who we are.”

 _That_ was true. They had spent weeks training themselves out of habits picked up from their military days. Arthur now kicks up his feet on the table like a schoolboy and Eames exudes relaxed charm. They both look nothing like the men they used to be.

“Really,” Eames continues, “intellectuals are such a paranoid sort about Army boys even though they know nothing about this side of the tracks. I can’t say I understand what you see in Mallorie Miles.”

Arthur pauses, head cocked. “You know,” he says, deceptively casual, “Mal isn’t going to steal me away.”

“I know,” Eames lies.

 

Later that night, Arthur’s pacing holes into the carpet in his hotel room. When his cell phone buzzes, he picks it up with a glance at the screen.

“You know,” Eames says, “we don’t have to do this.”

“Are you having second thoughts?”

“We both know that once we put our names out there, we can’t go back.”

Arthur sighs, scrubbing a hand on his face. “I’m not going to say I miss the dreamshare trails in the Army, you know that. But this business’s going places in the future, and if that means pretending to be an academic, I’ll do it. We can’t be criminals forever.”

There’s a heavy pause on the line and then Eames speaks, voice low. “You know I’m with you ‘til the end, darling. I’ll see you in the morning. Sweet dreams.”

**Author's Note:**

> Here's a deleted scene that takes place after the third sentence. It's since spawned a separate drabble that I might post later.
> 
>  
> 
> “Hey, I didn’t have time to stop and ask questions,” Arthur retorts.
> 
> “God, remember the good old days when we stole normal shit? There was none of this ‘Oh Eames, help me steal a strange machine from the government,’ it was just your run of the mill bank robberies,” Eames waxes, dramatically reminiscing. 
> 
> Arthur levels a stare at him. “You’ve been nursing a Bonnie and Clyde boner this whole time, haven’t you. Besides, when have we robbed a bank together?” 
> 
> Eames grins, “A man can dream.”


End file.
